Did you buy a roadbike for fitness and become addicted?

Loving my roadbike at the moment, bought it as a training tool for MTB fitness however it’s becoming more and more my tool of choice.

I’ve been well and truly sucked in by it, even falling for the Rapha lifestyle aspect.

Looking at other comments on stw it sounds like others are experiencing similar behaviours. I’ve a free weekend and all I’m thinking about are 2 road rides. The MTB seems like such an effort with no trails immediately on the doorstep. I think it’s the get dressed and ride bit I’m liking. Also they’re cheaper to run if you exclude expensive clothing and cafe stops.

From thee bored roady sitting waiting on the Tyne tunnel reopening 🙁

Sort of, really enjoyed it first time round but now its not as good for me. I get bored of rides over 25 miles long. Should have never got rid of my Langster, the singlespeed makes it more interesting than geared! Mtb will still always be the better option, despite having a longish drive to get to trails.

Got one to get fit, got fit, got bored, got rid of, got no urge to get another 🙂

im doing lots on a fixed langster with flats and a pair of rapha jeans (:

it doesnt get old.

Converted my old Raleigh to SS road bike for commuting. Enjoyed that for fitness too. Bought “proper” road bike from classifieds and I love the odd long ride on it. As I’ve said on other threads, there’s something different about the riding that works. MTB is great for clearing the head, road bikes great for thinking.

absolutely. to the extent of selling my MTBs to buy my dream road bike. do about 150 / 200 miles a week now, am a fully paid up member of the Rapha appreciation club, and i shave my legs!

Yes, but not fallen for the Rapha. All my events planned this year are road.

Started with doing the bike leg of the team version of the London Tri, then the whole training for MTB thing, then the Dragon Ride, then LEJOG.

Warton, I must admit selling my five crossed my mind. I could get a super nice new roadbike with the funds invested in it. The only problem is I would never get another one now so I’m a bit reluctant to do it.

Yes and no. Road bike is great but it’s a means to an end of being really fit for MTB. So I enjoy both worlds. I enjoy MTB for all the reasons I hate road riding. I don’t miss the traffic and idiot driver.

i bought a road bike because i thought it would be fun and got addicted

I bought a CX as a commuter and now most of my riding is on the road on it. I last rode my hardtail in December and my FS in August.

Yeah, a while back, for 2 years or so I rode 75% on the road and now I switch between roadie and mountain biker phases happily. Last year was sportives, centuries and ‘training’ for an Alpine epic and a London-Constance ride, after that the road bike was put away and it’s back to fun in the mud and I’m struggling to get road-motivation back up. Change is good, there’s addictive aspects to both. Then you find CX bikes have some fun elements of both. Then it’s ‘all just riding’ and mixing it up as the ride unfolds seems the best way forward.

I don’t miss the traffic and idiot driver

– this is the bit that makes european road rides appeal more and UK roads seem a bit like a test of commitment some days, and why I like mountain biking so much even if it’s just a bridleway / dirt track bash on a rigid 29er.

coatesy – Member

Got one to get fit, got fit, got bored, got rid of, got no urge to get another

+1

Most of you sound like your trying to live the dream, which is furry muff ! Dump the cafe’s as well, a four hour non stop road ride is better the the “club bun run”

Rapha is for pleb’s who are seeking a lifestyle, sell the stuff on ebay now and but some proper kit like assos, endura, castelli etc. As for the roll up single speed jeans with Rapha written on the inside, the mind boggles.

I fully understand the addiction to fitness on road bikes, I do loads, just got in from a ride this morning and now feel fantastic sat here gloating that i have had my “fix”…..for now

Im off to the Canaries on Wednesday for a week on the road bike in the mountains to get some “form” for the coming season.

Most top MTB’s use the road bike as a tool to get fit, so do I but also race it as well as racing MTB as well, oh and testing too.

Road bikes are superb and the feeling od speed is brilliant but would still rather have a good burn up on the MTB on lovely dry circuit any day of the week. Car drivers are getting less tolerant every month which bothers me.

Fitness is super addictive but dont neglect your family and friends and dont “over train” You only get fitter and stronger when you rest.

Roadies are where its at, im off out on mine now, so long suckers 🙂

Rapha is for pleb’s who are seeking a lifestyle people who like well made, understated, clothes on the bike, that also do what they are meant to do.

FIFY

^ like

Maybe try and sneak a little 30 or 40 in later and a 70 or so tomorrow.

It’s so much more flexIble than MTB especially with a 1 yr old child.

PS If anyone has a 6700 ss rear mech or similar let me know

I’ve got a little bit of a habit, but I could stop anytime I wanted.

I haven’t managed to stay healthy long enough to ride it even a quarter as much as I planned to this year.

🙁

Rapha, for people who are trying to hard and get ripped off in the process. Subtle.

Bought one for various reasons. They’re fun (just back from 30 miles round the Peaks as it happens), but I’ve never had the pure euphoria from roadbiking that a great mtb ride can give you. I reckon that’s because you don’t have to think so hard on a roadie – there’s not quite the same degree of mental commitment required.

Yes I bought my road bike Specialized Alez, I wanted to build my fitness up and found I enjoyed it more & more especially without the fath thats involved with the mtb, also a lot of my friends have also got into roadie and we go out as a group. I have now upgraded the groupset and wheels on my road bike and its like having a new machine.

I go through phases, few months of mtb then i get a bit bored and do a few months of road. It’s all good.

JonEdwards – Member
I reckon that’s because you don’t have to think so hard on a roadie – there’s not quite the same degree of mental commitment required.

i’d say the amount of mental commitment is the same, if not more, it just a different form

I used an mtb for everything and was perfectly happy until I started riding out with folks on road bikes/hybrids for road rides. On a five mile straight I’d end up a mile back.
SO
I built a Cyclo X frame into a flat bar (riser bar)hybrid road commute/tourer and now I use that for commuting road rides and occassion rides with a road club.

I then took the plunge and got a drop bar race bike, commuted on it for a couple of 40 mile stints per week for two months, and………..NO.

Just didn’t get it, in any way shape or form, so I’m back on the hybrid and enjoying it AND I still don’t mind riding mtbs on the road. The lack of speed and progress doesn’t faze me at all unless I’m riding with roadies on road bikes of course.

Sometime back a fella in the bike trade told me that whatever most peoples’ aspirations might be when they went to buy a bike, the majority actualy would be best served by a hybrid bike. And I think it is a reasonably valid statement!!!!! Not for the bulk of folk on here, but for the majority nationwide and for the uses they put their bikes to!

I sold my road bike and brought an FS, the only thing i liked about road riding was the speed. Oh and two wheel slides around busy round abouts.

But then I can ride MTB from my door so I don’t have that aspect to worry about.

Rapha, for people who are trying to hard and get ripped off in the process

if you can afford it it’s worth every penny to witness the ensuing angst from those who don’t subscribe.

Bought a road bike for fitness then rediscovered mountain biking. Now the road bike gets mainly used for commuting.

Bought myself a TCR 0 for Xmas, loving it so far and it makes the mtb even more fun – today was an early couple of hours round the country lanes, late breakfast then a play over the local woods, win win 😀

I did the opposite, took up mountain biking for a bit of cross training for road cycling/TT+ triathlon and now I have become addicated at the road bike barely gets a look in!

I have one for commuting 25 miles each way on. Have to say that I find riding the road bike as tedious now as it did when I first got it but it does help keep me fit. It does occasionally redeem itself by allowing me to get to nice places as well.

I find the utter lack of excitement, variety or technical challenge to be the main factor, I cannot understand how the other half and my brother get so excited about it. It just seems to be about mentally managing pain and nothing else.

On the other hand if it means cycling has more of a presence in the world then I’m for it.

It just seems to be about mentally managing pain and nothing else.

A so you’ve never experienced riding fast in a bunch or a one hour alpine descent then.

Back in 2002 during the foot and mouth epidemic I put slicks on my MTB and did a bit of road riding, then bought a road bike and now 10 years later most of my biking is road especially as I’ve now moved to the S of England which is a lot less interesting for MTB.

Don’t understand the Rapha bashing. Sure there are some things like those jeans up there that might not be for everyone (but have you seen the price of Levis?), but their “proper” riding kit is cheaper than Assos & Castelli, looks nicer & works.

But I suspect it’s the “lifestyle” they’re selling that people don’t like have any connection with, rather than the kit.

Yup, add me to the list. Haven’t touched a mountain bike for over 3 years now. Don’t miss it one bit. And I’m Rapha’d up to the max.

A so you’ve never experienced riding fast in a bunch or a one hour alpine descent then.

Yes to the riding in a group, failed to see the appeal. No technical challenge or variety, just lots of people trying not to crash into each other whilst pedaling hard. A nice sense of camaraderie but not much else.

No to the Alps but plenty of long descents in the UK, and I was bored halfway down most of them, so I can only imagine how tedious a hour must be! 😀

Anyway, I’m glad you enjoy it even if I cannot fathom why!

The weather in this country makes mtb-ing a slow muddy slog for the majority of the year.
I ride both mtb and road. When the trails are nice and dry, then mtbing can be superb. But apart from snow or ice, nothing really stops you enjoying a good road ride.
There again .. I am probably spoilt for both here in S.Wales.
Both superb trails for mtb and great climbs/descents for the road bike.

I’m with mooman – meeting up with a mate from Manchester tomorrow for a lazy cafe pootle in the Peaks, really looking forward to it

Must say, even after barely 2 months road riding I’m really aware that bibs I thought were comfy based on mtb use are really not much cop at all 🙁

Worked for this guy[/url]

so I can only imagine how tedious a hour must be!

I’m not sure if there’s anything that long in the Alps (col d’iseran down to borg st maurice? longest I can think of, I know it’s a bstrd-long climb anyway!), but as much as I’ll always love off-road descents, the best buzz I’ve ever had on a bike is the simple feeling of speed and flow while coming down an Alpine pass on a nice road bike. Tucking in and hitting that kind of speed then leaning into the corner as fast and low as you dare puts a childish grin on my face, I love it. Sprinting past cars and vans is even more childishly enjoyable. I got my first road bike after a tour in the alps on an MTB with slicks, it was the views and descents that did it for me.

Riding on the road in the UK never matches it really, but the feeling of easy speed is there and what it can do for your speed / fitness on the MTB is a nice benefit.

Haven’t been rodie-ing long enough to notice the fitness benefits, but reflexes and bike handling have definitely improved – can’t quite believe how fast it all happens and how responsive the bike is to road conditions/body movement